Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Z80 systems for $20.00
These appear to be Nabu network PCs ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NABU_Network) that were, indeed, meant to be intelligent set-top boxes and had little to no firmware or mass storage since their software was meant to come over the cable network. Inside, they're little Z80 systems that might actually be able to run CP/M, but the home versions (of which these almost certainly are) didn't have the disk interface that would enable this http://dunfield.classiccmp.org/nabu/index.htm At the very least, some of the bigger chips (possibly the TMS9918 GPU and AY-3-8910) may be socketed and thus easy to recover. Even better, it looks like there's available technical documentation on the (meagre) firmware, memory map, etc. http://dunfield.classiccmp.org/nabu/nabutech.pdf There might even be schematics out there, although I couldn't quickly find them online. Bottom line: yes, it will be a brick when first purchased, but could lead to many interesting projects. Making it work like it did in the 1980s would be an enormous (and perhaps unrealistic) undertaking, although after seeing what the "Weather Machine" folks did at the last VCF East I've had to adjust what I think of as unrealistic. Some group actually did try to build an emulator, however https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/nabu I maintain that at $20, they're interesting little boxes
On 10/21/22 19:44, Stephen A Edwards via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
These appear to be Nabu network PCs ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NABU_Network) that were, indeed, meant to be intelligent set-top boxes and had little to no firmware or mass storage since their software was meant to come over the cable network.
Inside, they're little Z80 systems that might actually be able to run CP/M, but the home versions (of which these almost certainly are) didn't have the disk interface that would enable this
If there is (or can be) RAM at address 0, CP/M is certainly a possibility.
At the very least, some of the bigger chips (possibly the TMS9918 GPU and AY-3-8910) may be socketed and thus easy to recover.
Heck, just those two ICs are worth the purchase price. -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA
On Fri, Oct 21, 2022 at 7:47 PM Dave McGuire via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On 10/21/22 19:44, Stephen A Edwards via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
These appear to be Nabu network PCs ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NABU_Network)
If there is (or can be) RAM at address 0, CP/M is certainly a possibility.
Indeed. That would be my personal interest. If we are all dogpiling so that someone goes down and picks up a carload, I'm in for 2. I'm too far away to make the drive myself. -ethan
Hello! Me too. I don't know how the <BLEEP!> it happened, but one of those things has my name (all of them) written all over it. Sorry, that contains a typical Doctor Who joke, just how names does he (or she) have, answer many. So what will be the eventual outcome? ----- Gregg C Levine gregg.drwho8@gmail.com "This signature fought the Time Wars, time and again." On Sat, Oct 22, 2022 at 11:49 AM Ethan Dicks via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On Fri, Oct 21, 2022 at 7:47 PM Dave McGuire via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On 10/21/22 19:44, Stephen A Edwards via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
These appear to be Nabu network PCs ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NABU_Network)
If there is (or can be) RAM at address 0, CP/M is certainly a possibility.
Indeed. That would be my personal interest.
If we are all dogpiling so that someone goes down and picks up a carload, I'm in for 2. I'm too far away to make the drive myself.
-ethan
Let's also consider that if someone is willing to drive there and fill up a van or truck, the guy might just be willing to do a deal MUCH better than $20/each. $20 is his deal with the public one at a time price. --MS
participants (5)
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Dave McGuire -
Ethan Dicks -
Gregg Levine -
m simons -
Stephen A Edwards